ten foundational ways to uplevel your nutrition

Try a new vegetable or fruit every day, every week, every month

Diet monotony is a real thing — we oftentimes stick to what we know when choosing produce — instead, choose something out of your comfort zone and be willing to explore different ways to prepare it! Not only does this expand your creativity in the kitchen — as I am certain there are tons of different types of produce that you’ve never tried before. But also, incorporating new produce and prioritizing diversity in your diet, ensures you’re consuming a well rounded amount of nutrition, including different micronutrients as well as different types of fiber for the sake of better gut health. Shoot for eating the rainbow as an easy guide to get started — focus on hitting each color (red, orange, yellow, green, and blue purple) and repeat this from week to week!

Shoot for 30 different types of plants per week!

Optimal fiber intake to best support the bugs in your gut — research suggests that shooting for 30 different types of plant per week best supports your microbiome — as fiber serves as the food for the good bugs in your gut — the ideal is a flourishing microbiome, so optimizing the amount and types of fiber you’re consuming is essential. Most Americans are significantly under-consuming fiber — which partly explains the epidemic that exists amidst our collective digestive systems.

Aim for 30 grams of protein with each meal

So many of us are under consuming protein, pay attention! Starting your day with protein is a nonnegotiable — so many of the Standard American breakfast items are devoid of protein — cereal, waffles, pancakes, muffins, and more. Instead, try to jam pack your morning with protein — a high quality Greek yogurt, pasture raised eggs, a protein shake, and so forth. You’ll notice a significant difference in yoru energy, mood, feelings of fullness, cravings, focus, sleep, and more. Continue to prioritize protein at every meal — this will make an enormous difference in simply feeling more balanced throughout the day because of it’s impact on satiety and blood sugar health.

Don’t fear fat!

Your brain is 60% fat! Add avocado, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, EVOO, and more to your plate! We’ve been conditioned as a society and culture to fear fat — to stay away from the fats that cause disease or cause us to become overweight. Healthy fats serve a massive purpose in our health, including lubricant for the brain and the gut. Tapping into the fear that may be there, as a result of cultural conditioning, is the first step towards allowing yourself the freedom to include fat in your diet comfortably.

The darker the produce, the richer the antioxidants!

Choose produce that are darker, richer in color — like blackberries, kale, carrots, and red bell peppers! Now, I would much rather you choose iceberg lettuce versus French fries — however, choosing the kale or the romaine, before the iceberg, means greater nutritional density! Antioxidants are essential for whole body health — they fight free radical damage within the body that can result in oxidative stress and disease. The richness in color of these produce indicate their nutritional content — including antioxidants like beta-carotene, lycopene, and flavonoids.

Never eat your carbs naked!

Choose protein, fiber, and fat with each meal to ensure you’re stabilizing your blood sugar and promoting satiety. We are a carb-driven society; infusing your plate with more intentionality can make an enormous difference in how you feel from day to day, and the impact this has on your health in the long term. Muffins, cakes, breads, pastas, and more are naked — pair these with a source of protein, fiber, and fat to help to stabilize the spike! To learn more about stabilizing your blood sugar and supporting your mind and body through nutrition, tune into my FREE training “Five Pillars to Optimize Your Daily Baseline!”

Shop the perimeter of your grocery store!

The majority of all your groceries, when choosing a real, whole foods diet, can be found around the perimeter of the store. Prioritizing filling your cart with foods from the perimeter, like produce, high quality meats and dairy, and more, ensures you’re predominantly choosing the most healthful foods. Starting with the perimeter and then moving inward for items like oils, or pastas and rice, is a helpful way to guide you more effectively and more healthfully when shopping.

Choose high quality animal based proteins!

Grass-fed beef, pasture raised poultry or eggs, wild caught fish, and more; if you are someone who incorporates animal-based products into your diet, choosing higher quality is something to be prioritized. The nutritional value found in higher quality animal based foods is significantly different in comparison to conventionally raised meats and so forth. I love using Butcher Box as an option to access higher quality meats every single month with ease — use this link for $50 off your order!

Crowd out, don’t cut out!

This philosophy helps to eliminate the restrictive mentality that so many diet trends follow. Instead of focusing on all the foods you may have to eliminate, consider all the wonderful foods that you can add in! The more we try to eliminate and restrict, the more challenge we will face in being successful. Think about it; you want what you can’t have. We are hardwired as humans to want something more when it is more difficult for us to access it — food is no exception. Instead of following this restrictive mentality, start to crowd out, instead of cutting out. Add to your plate more real, whole foods — the rest will take care of itself.

Choose foods more often that don’t contain ingredient lists than those that do!

Most real, whole foods don’t contain ingredient labels — think about it. Produce, high quality proteins, and more are without ingredient labels. When choosing to fill your cart, gravitate towards the foods that don’t include an ingredient label OR find foods that have minimal amounts of ingredients in their list.

If you need support in any of these areas, please feel free to schedule a “Fast Fuel” 90 Minute Intensive Call to explore how to implement these strategies into your life seamlessly!